Page 22 of Forbidden Knots

I couldn't see his full face, but I could feel the smirk under his mask as he watched me. He started to unbutton my satin blouse, exposing my bare chest. A part of me wanted him to see, but another part was in pain from the liberty he had taken from me. When I thought he might get off me, he reached for his blackbackpack and pulled out aPolaroid camera. The flash went off, capturing my exposed, tear-streaked face.

He took another photo, and then his face was back in front of me, his eyes darker from the flashes. He whispered, "Say a word and I will kill you."

Slowly, he removed his hand from my mouth. Instead of a scream, a desperate gasp escaped my lips. He wiped my tears with his fingers, then traced his palm down my chest. I shook my head and gasped as he took my breast in his hand.

"You like it, don't you?" he whispered. "I won't stop until you ask for me."

Tears continued to fall. It wasn't my body rejecting him; it was my soul screaming for help. My body wanted him, but my soul wanted to escape, to leave me to deal with the consequences of my physical craving.

His hand slid under my pants, and he slowly entered me with his fingers. My body shivered, my legs instinctively trying to close, but he parted them with his knees, exploring me deeply. Just as my eyes shut and I was ready to accept whatever this was, a loud bang hit the door. His fingers were suddenly in my mouth, pressing down on my tongue. I could taste myself on his fingers as he pulled my jaw down.

"Say something and you are dead," he whispered.

Sophie was behind the door, whispering, "Thalia, are you awake?"

Then another knock, "Thalia."

"I guess she is asleep," a male voice said. "Let's go to your room, babe."

The face of the Shadow turned red with anger, something I recognized immediately. He tilted his head towards the door, but as he heard the footsteps leaving, he began to untie my hands. Once freed, my hands instinctively reached for his mask,wanting to pull it down and see his face. But he caught my wrists, holding them tight.

"You won't like what's under that mask," he said.

Instead of ripping it off, I pulled my hands back to my blouse, buttoning the rest.

"Close your eyes," he whispered as he laid me down.

"No," I whispered back. "I won't let you continue."

"Do it," he commanded.

"I said NO!" My voice was a bit louder, more defiant.

He pressed his palm over my eyes and then kissed me, thrusting his tongue inside my mouth, tangling it with mine in a forbidden knot. He pulled me closer, his hand sliding from my eyes to my jaw, but my eyes remained closed. His body pressed against mine, and my hands rested on his neck as we kissed deeply. For a moment, I forgot he was a dangerous man.

But then his hand was back over my eyes. Our lips parted, and within seconds he let go of me, all the weight lifting as he pulled away. My legs were still bound to the bed.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked as I began untying the knots around my legs.

"Because I want to," he said, slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

I rolled my eyes, freeing one of my legs. "You could've said'hi'on the street and gotten to know me like anormalperson."

He chuckled. "You and I both know I'm not anormalperson."

"Even crazy people have a reason for their actions," I said as I finally freed my second leg and stood up to face him.

"WHY?" I leaned in, pushing his chest with my finger as he stepped back. "Are you so dark that you became the shadow itself?" I continued, "Or are you afraid of the dark like everyone else?"

He grabbed my jaw aggressively, squeezing until my lips puckered. "I am the dark."

I pushed his hand away. "You are nothing, just a guy who is afraid to show his face!"

He stepped closer, towering over me, his breath quick and his eyes filled with rage. I thought I was done for that moment, but he grabbed my hand, twisted it behind my back, and spun me around until my back hit the wall.

Leaning in close to my ear, he whispered, "I will break you so badly you won't remember your name."

"I'd like to see you try," I shot back, my tongue moving faster than my brain. That reckless challenge seemed to ignite something in him, a twisted game he was all too ready to play.

---